Children's Book Reviews
Page Two of TwoThe Hobbit, A 3-D Pop-Up Adventure by J.R.R. Tolkien, Illustrated by John Howe
HarperFestival, 1999Hardcover, 10 pages
Ages 4-8
ISBN: 0694014362.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy classic,
The Hobbit, will thrill to see this beautifully
rendered pop-up edition of the story. The book
opens with the infamous tea party at Bilbo Baggins'
comfortable hobbit hole, in which Gandalf the wizard
(who pops out of the front door when the latch is
opened) arranges for a treasure hunting expedition
with the dwarves and a reluctant Bilbo. A pull-out
card with text give the flavor of the scene, as the
dwarves call out their orders of food to a
confused Bilbo, who is not at all sure he likes
the sound of adventures, dragons and gold. There
are five, two-sided pop-up pages in the book.
In addition to the tea party scene, the book
also showcases Bilbo's meeting under the
mountains with the slimy Gollum, his battle with
the spiders in the forests of Mirkwood,
his encounter with the mighty dragon,
Smaug, and the Battle of the Five Armies
which is the climax of the tale. The illustrations
are superb, with beautiful shadings and colors,
and intricate detail. This is a must-have for
any Tolkien-lover, and for children who
are just making their acquaintance with
the enduring classic that is The Hobbit.
Morning, Noon and Night by Jean Craighead George, Paintings by Wendel Minor
HarperCollins, 1999.Hardcover, 32 pages
Ages 4-8
ISBN: 0060236280.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com.
Jean Craighead George, author of over eighty
children's books, including the Newberry
Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves,
celebrates the cycle of morning, noon to
night as observed by animals found across the United States,
from Maine to California. The book begins
with the phrase, "Good morning,
the dawn, when the earth is turning from night to
day and waking begins," which is beautifully
illustrated in vibrant oranges, greens and browns
showing a dolphin observing the sunrise over the
land and the last beams of the lighthouse over a
nearby promontory. Animals such as the stork and
the cardinal stretch and sing to greet the day.
As the sun comes up, work begins for the oxen,
the eagle, and the bees. As the day progresses
we see the activities of different animals, until
at last it is evening again, and the owlet sings,
"Who, the night, Who, Who?" The story
ends with the beginning of yet another day.
The wildlife paintings by Wendell Minor are vivid, colorful and perfectly complement the lyrical quality of George's writing. The book will be visually appealing to children, and is an excellent aide for teaching them about the cycle of our own days, as well as the habits of animals in the wild and on the farms.
Children's Book Reviews
Page One | Page Two | Page Three
Return to the March 2000 issue of The IWJ.
More from Writers Write